Without you
by LemonJellybears
Summary: Nico is called to the underworld, and journeys back to Tartarus. And Will finds out how much he is willing to sacrifice for Nico.. Rated T for minor language and self harm
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! I am so sorry about not updating or posting anything. Anyway, I hope you like this! Partly inspired by the Maroon 5 song Daylight, and partly inspired by the fact that I am Solangelo trash. Just a quick note, most of this story will be in Will's perspective.**

 **Disclaimer: I (sadly) do not own Percy Jackson**

"What?! No!" I shouted at Nico, clasping my hands to the sides of my head, "Do you have a death wish Di'Angelo?"

Nico sighed, and pushed himself up from his bed and walked across the room to stand in front of me. He placed his hands over mine, clasped tightly in my hair.

"Will, calm down," Nico whispered, stroking his thumbs over my knuckles, "I'm going to be fine."

"No!" I screamed, as Nico winced.

"Nico," I said, softening my tone, "You barely made it out of there last time." I brought my hands down from my head, and let them hang loosely at my sides.

"Will, look at me," Nico gasped. Silent tears streamed down his cheeks, and looked older than I had ever seen him.

"I'm scared too, but this is something I need to do." He forced a weary, watery smile, and he might as well have stabbed me for how it made me feel.

"Nico," I whimpered, my hands starting to shake, my eyes searching his. "I-I can't lose you." I looked down as a sob escaped.

"Will," Nico said, his voice wavering, "I'll be fine." He let his forehead rest on mine, and brought his hand up to trace circles on my tear-stained cheek.

…..

I laid next to Nico in his bed, his lean arm draped over my arm. I felt his steady breath on my neck, signaling that he was in fact asleep, although I doubted I would sleep much tonight. My mind kept flickering to our conversation from earlier.

It turned out that slowly but surely the giants were rising again, and had chained the doors of death.

And Hades wanted Nico to fix it.

Stupid, good for nothing gods.

Nico had explained that it would be different from last time, that this time his father had provided him with a way out, in the form of the same pearls that Percy, Annabeth, and Grover had used to get out of the underworld during the titan war.

But would it be different than last time?

The nightmares had faded eventually, but would we be that lucky a second time?

I was afraid to find out.

I reached up to swipe away a tear that had traced its way down my cheek, as Nico shifted behind me. I turned over so I could look at him. Possibly my last look.

No, I would not let that happen.

"Nico," I breathed, so quiet that I could barely hear it, "If you die, I am dying with you."

"I swear it on the river Styx"

 **Dun** **Dun DUN. I'm sorry about this but it's like the middle of the night and I need sleep.**

 **I promise I will update within the next week and a half, probably. What did you think? Comments are appreciated. Bye!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey look it's me a living piece of trash back with another chapter. I am sorry for the wait, but I am going to try and stay on a regular download schedule, although I can't promise that will be often. If you want more quality content (that is actually be updated on a regular basis) check out my tumblr, jalovim5. Anyways, back to the story!**

...

I woke up the next morning to an empty bed.

...

The months following Nico's departure were spent in limbo. The world had lost some of its color, and I know it sounds cliche but godsdamnit I just wanted him back.

Every day he was gone put me more on edge, and each night had brought with it nightmares, and the only person that could make it stop was in the living incarnation of nightmares themselves.

I wanted him back.

But I wasn't ready when he came.

...

I could hear the shouting start from the other side of the camp. Shouting was a normal occurrence, but something was off...

I was interrupted from my thoughts from a sharp knock on my door. I opened the door to find a panting Caleb standing at my door, hands resting on his knees.

"Um hey, everything ok?," I asked, raising an eyebrow. He started and looked up.

"It's- it's Nico, he's back and he's-"

I tuned out after that,

Nico was alive.

...

 **Ooohh mysterious. I would write more but it's midnight so.. Anyway, leave a comment they're always helpful. Feel free to yell at me if I don't get a new chapter out soon.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys it's me back with another update wow look at that. It's kinda short, but then again I am the queen of short chapters. Anyway, make sure to leave feedback and come back soon for more! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer- I do not own Any of these characters**

...

Will Solace PoV

...

The infirmary was in in chaos and packed, with every medic on duty, and most of the rest of the Apollo cabin. The air smelled of antiseptic, and was filled with the shouting of scrambled orders, and beeping of numerous machines.

I pushed past of the rest of the medics only to almost faint myself because _oh my god part of him wasn't even there_. Not 'it was bitten or cut off' but rather 'it's actually fading out of existence' wasn't there.

My shock wore off quickly, and soon shouting of my own filled the air.

...

Eight days. Eight fucking days and he still wasn't awake.

I had barely left the infirmary since Nico had returned to camp, and I wasn't intending on leaving any time soon. I sat by the head of his bed, gently stroking his jet black hair, muttering prayers to my father until I was almost as pale as he was. The beeping of his heart monitor might as well have been my own.

I only stopped when a tentative head peaked inside the infirmary door.

"Hello?"

I gave a small smile. It was Hazel.

She had come to camp as soon as she heard the news, along with a good deal of the rest of the Roman camp with her. They had of course left by this point, but Hazel felt that she needed to stay until Nico woke up. Not that he could blame her.

"Come in"

She looked over at the cot, and her face fell upon seeing her still unconscious brother.

"Oh." I simply nodded.

"How is he doing?"

"He's more stable than he was originally, more solid at least. Most of the scratches have healed."

Hazel released a tiny sigh of relief.

"Anyway Will, I was wondering if you wanted to come join us for breakfast?" She said with a tiny smile. I shook my head.

"Not hungry."

"Will, you haven't eaten for days, you've barely slept," She paused. "We're worried about you." I looked over at Nico. His breath was barely detectable, and his fingertips were still wispy and translucent. I couldn't leave him like this.

I shook my head.

Hazel furrowed her brow and was about to speak was about to speak when I interrupted her.

"Can you just bring me something instead?" I watched as some of the tension in her shoulders relaxed.

"Sure, that's good," Hazel walked over and gave me a peck on the forehead.

"Thank you for helping him"

And with that said, she left.

...

 **Hope you enjoyed this! Again, remember to leave feedback, it always helps, and check back for they next update! For more quality work by an actual human trashcan, check out my Tumblr and Deviantart, both at jalovim5.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone it's me again with another chapter. This chapter does get sadder than most of the other chapters, so keep that in mind as you read. Also Nico PoV what. Anyway, back to the story.**

...

Nico PoV

...

I opened my eyes and looked up to see a blurred figure standing above me, light making a sort of halo around them. My eyes wouldn't focus, but I didn't much care. It felt like I was hanging on loosely to a another vision, and I wasn't ready to let it go. Not yet.

Even though it was probably just another hallucination created my growing hysteria, even though I was vulnerable, I didn't care. At this point I would embrace death gladly if it meant I could stay like this forever. Trapped between reality and dreaming in a state of perpetual limbo. After weeks of endless fighting this was the first time I felt at peace.

"Hey, Neeks," came a quiet, warm, familiar voice from above me. A hand was brought up softly to rest on my cheek. I leaned into the touch slightly, and blinked sleepily in response, afraid that if I did anything more that all of this would fade and I would be violently thrust back into a nightmare again.

"Nico? Hey are you with me?" Came the voice again, moving the hand off of my cheek. I whimpered slightly, and they quickly grabbed my hand in theirs, and started stroking their thumb over my knuckles.

"Shh it's fine, I'm here. You're safe."

I thought I heard the sounds of other people before I started slipping, hopefully just to sleep.

...

Two months later

Will PoV

...

I was tired. Summer ended and leaves turned to colors, but Nico was still in a state of shock. We moved him back into his cabin, hoping that the familiar surroundings would do something to help him. Nothing worked. And I was just so tired.

I woke up to see Nico sleeping next to me. I threaded a gentle hand through his hair. He looked young, nothing in his features to hint of his violent past. He smiled and sleepily opened his eyes

"Morning Neeks," I said quietly, as he brought his hand up to rest on top of the hand still resting on the bed.

"Hello," Nico whispered dreamily. He smiled vacantly up at me, and for a fleeting second I wondered if even knew who I was. If he remembered me. The sudden realization was like a punch to the gut, and my eyes stung. A stray tear ran down my face and I hastily wiped it away. Nico frowned and raised a hand to my cheek. I forced a laugh.

"Hey Bud I'm okay, I'm ok."

It didn't look like he believed me.

...

I woke up to sobbing that night. I reached over and felt the other side of the bed, panicking when all I felt was sheets. I shot up out of bed instantly, scanning the room for any kind of danger. But there was none. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw light seeping out from underneath the bathroom door, which also seemed to be the source of the crying and all I could think was oh gods not again.

The past two years faded into oblivion and suddenly I was back to the night when Nico first decided to stay at camp.

We were a mess, blushing and giggling from simple contact and subtle brushes of skin. Neither of us had planned to fall asleep in Nico's cabin that night, but both of us had, pressed up against each other still sitting up on the couch.

Later that night I was woken up by quiet crying coming from the bathroom, where I found Nico, hurting and broken, blood mixing with tears. I stayed up with him that night. And many nights after that.

Gradually those nights became fewer and fewer, so much so that I had believed that they had stopped.

No such luck.

I scrambled out of bed and flew into the bathroom.

Nico was in the same position that he had been in so many nights before, leaning against the sink head pressed against the glass. The door creaked as I opened it, and Nico's neck snapped around. He shrunk into himself and started shaking his head, eyes filling with panic.

"No, no this isn't real," he stumbled backwards and pressed his back against the wall, gasping, " You're not real."

I could feel my heart breaking inside of my chest.

"Nico," I started to make my way forwards. He pressed himself further against the wall.

"S-Stay back," Nico said, trying and failing to sound intimidating.

"Nico, it's me," I tried desperately to keep my voice from shaking. "It's Will."

"No! N-No, you're not-," he hiccuped, "You're not real, you can't be real, get out of my head!"

"Nico," I whispered, tears falling shamelessly from my eyes, "Please, listen. This is real, I'm real."

I didn't know if it was because he trusted me, or if he was just exhausted, but he sank down to his knees in front of me. I let me hands trace over his body, never quite touching him.

...

"I'm sorry Nico," I said as I washed of Nico's arms sometime later.

"What for?" He croaked, throat still raw from inhaling poisoned air. I wondered if it would ever heal. I wondered if he would ever heal.

"This, everything. I should have tried harder to make you stay-" I was stopped by Nico pressing a finger against my lips.

"Will, this isn't your fault. It isn't anyone's fault, except for Tar-" He paused and took a deep breath. "Except for Tartarus itself."

"It doesn't matter," I said quickly, "You're back and you'll never have to go back again. Promise?" He gave me a bittersweet smile.

"But darling, I never truly left."

...

 **Oh yeah another chapter. I'm thinking that the next chapter will be the last. But for now, make sure to check back often and leave a comment. Bye!**


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